These pathways are tailored for emerging Directors, Choreographers, Musical Directors, Designers, Lighting Designers, Stage Managers, Wardrobe Assistants and Technicians aged 16 to 23 who are in training or recently graduated from Higher Education.
Applications are open for 2025. There is £25 application fee which gives access to preparatory online sessions, offering skill building and group mentorship. Following these sessions you will have the opportunity to apply for a specific role on a production.
The Production Services Association (PSA) is thrilled to announce an exciting new initiative launching in January 2025: the PSA Training Bursary Scheme, developed in collaboration with Precision Broking Ltd and AXA Insurance.
The training bursary scheme comes in part as a response to some of the ongoing challenges the live industry faces, which were highlighted in a member survey earlier this year. Skills shortage is currently a key issue for the industry, and the top request from members was to be able to access more training opportunities.
This scheme aims to support PSA members by covering some of the costs associated with essential training programmes tailored to the production and live events industry. A total of £25,000 has been allocated to the fund for 2025, and applicants can request funding for up to 25% of the course cost, with a maximum claim amounting to £250.
"The PSA acknowledge the importance of professional development and encourages applications for courses that complement the roles and competencies of our members." Liz Madden, PSA Co-chair said: “This could include comprehensive training in key technical areas like lighting, sound, rigging, AV, special effects, stage automation, and other vital systems that support the smooth operation of live events and the production services sector. It could also include nationally recognised training for improving physical or mental health in the UK, supporting your overall well-being in a high-stress industry, or accredited safety training offered by reputable industry bodies to ensure you are fully equipped with the newest safety protocols and practices."
Tom Rees, Co-chair, added; “This scheme would not be possible without the generosity of our donors. Our goal is to help our members enhance their skills, broaden their professional network, and uplift the overall standards within our industry. This is a fantastic opportunity for members to invest in their future, cultivate their expertise, and elevate their careers in the dynamic world of production and live events!”
Applications open on 6 January 2025 through a straightforward application form on PSA's website, making it easy to access and take advantage of these training opportunities.
Save the Date | 3 February 2026
Following last years inaugural event, we're delighted to be inviting the next generation of curious minds to another unmissable day of discovery in the creative industries. Dive into inspiring sessions with creative organisations large and small. Meet with artists, designers, tattooists, theatre-makers, writers and creatives, and find out about careers that you didn’t even know existed.
Whether you're curious about theatre, visual arts, design, writing, music or beyond, this event is crafted to ignite your potential, spark ideas, and show you the endless possibilities ahead. If you’re a student choosing GCSE options, next step pathways, or you’re ready to survey the employment landscape, then this careers fair is for you.
Focussing on creative roles across a variety of industries, this is your opportunity to access presentations, panel discussions, TED-style talks, interactive stands, competitions, CV sessions – all led by professionals at the top of their game.
Receive guidance, and quiz experts on apprenticeships, trainee schemes, career pathways and employment opportunities. Whether you’re looking to explore design, writing, music, a skilled trade, technical production, digital creation, gaming, public speaking, theatre or more, we can help.
The Creative Industries Careers Day is free to attend but booking is essential. We recommend a minimum three-hour visit, either for the morning or afternoon session. Keynote presentations and discussions will take place between 11.45 – 1.15pm, at the beginning or end of your visit.
Successful completion of this course not only prepares you for employment within the music industry but also provides an excellent grounding to go on to a more advanced course such as our Level 3 in Music Performance or Music Technology.
If music performance, or music sequencing and production, DJing, or sound production and recording are your thing, then look no further! This course will develop your music technology and or performance skills in order to follow a route that could lead to a career in the music industry or study at a higher level. If you’re willing to work hard and strive to succeed, then this course will give you the valuable skills needed to do just that within the music industry.
Music Technology: During this extended certificate course you will cover music sequencing and production, DJ skills, sound production and recording, music production and remixing techniques, and learn about working in the music industry. Music Performance: Throughout this one year extended certificate course you will study a variety of music performance skills as well as an introduction to music technology units. These include working in the music industry, music for performance, music ensemble skills, music sequencing and production, song writing skills and rehearsal skills
Fees: £2,583.00
Full-time courses are fully funded for 16 to 18-year-olds. For age 19+, various funding options are available.
British Youth Opera runs several programmes for people who are looking to build a career as a conductor, assistant conductor, music director or repetiteur
The Collaborator Strand
If you have musical experience (particularly working with singers) and excellent repetiteur skills, but you'll still be building basic skills and knowledge, the collaborator strand of our summer programme is for you.
You’ll be paired with an established musician who will inspire and mentor you and give you tailored career support and advice. Much like an assistant conductor or repetiteur, you'll spend time in the rehearsal room, working with and learning from our professional director and playing for rehearsals.
2025's summer programme will tackle a semi-staged version of Peter Grimes. Working with a professional director and conductor, you'll create a professional-standard show to be performed twice – at London's Cadogan Hall and Saffron Hall, just outside Cambridge. The programme will take place during June, with performances on 5 and 6 July. You'll need good availibility throughout June, but we're aware that you may still have conservatoire or university commitments – schedules will be built around the people who are offered a place and as a result might make good use of evenings and weekends.
The Serena Fenwick Programme
The Serena Fenwick programme started out as a course for singers, providing 6 months of bespoke mentoring, group sessions, one-to-one sessions , advice and support. It was specifically targeted at people who needed something extra – whether that was because they'd had a different route into singing or something was holding them back or slowing them down, like financial or personal problems.
It was so successful we rolled out a version for stage managers, and now we're doing the same for directors and conductors. If you get a place on the Serena Fenwick programme, you'll get 6 months of personal mentoring from industry professionals, bespoke career guidance, CV advice and introductions to people in the industry. You'll also be able to take part in BYO's summer production and be put forward for shadowing opportunities with our industry partners over the summer.
The programme is open to all and is fully bespoke, with everything fitted around your existing knowledge and experience. However you'll need some good quality experience and need to be able to demonstrable commitment to pursuing a career in conducting.
Serena Fenwick and Summer Programme deadlines: 12pm, 14 October 2024
Taking part in any BYO programme is free, and there is no application fee beyond your membership to BYO hub.
BYO offers reduced or free BYO hub premium membership to care leavers, people granted asylum in the UK, people seeking asylum in the UK, full or part time careers, people with no immediate family or no connection to them, single parents, people with physical or mental disabilities and people with long term illnesses.
This course is designed to equip students with the skills needed to pursue roles in the technical theatre and stage management industry.
The course offers a high degree of practical experience to take students through the various grades of technical theatre and stage management with the ultimate goal of students entering the profession after completion. Upon completion of the programme students will have a considerable amount of experience working on our vast output of public performances with professional directors; students will also have a sizeable portfolio of work which will help them to gain employment.
Students will study a broad range of areas before moving into an area for specialism. This will be facilitated by a core team of technical professionals and a wider range of industry freelancers. This will help to create relationships for future employment in the sector.
The basement of Portsmouth Guildhall is being transformed into an exciting, new creative space where 11-25 year olds can meet and explore their creative potential!
The BASE will give young people access to:
From crafts, to photography and singing, to mural painting, we’ve got lots of FREE projects and workshops running at Portsmouth Guildhall. As building work for the BASE finishes up, these sessions give a flavour of what The BASE will offer local young people.
Unleash your potential at set the stage with our HNC/D in Performing Arts. Tailored pathways offer students the opportunity to specialise in dance, acting, musical theatre or technical arts.
Whether you're honing your skills on stage, behind the scenes, or in the studio, this program provides students an excellent foundation for diverse careers in the performing arts industry.
Join Young Identity's weekly workshops—completely free! Led by outstanding facilitators, versatile poets and established spoken word performers.
MONDAYS 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Our HOME workshop is a vibrant large-scale workshop in partnership with one of the most eclectic art centres in Manchester. We use our workshops there to respond to art exhibitions, films, and theatre in both written and performance forms. They are led by a team of rotating facilitators delivering a different curriculum every six weeks.
HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Place, Manchester, M15 4FN
Ages 13-25
TUESDAYS 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Our Central Library workshop is in partnership with the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Education Trust, giving us access to archives, stories and canons from incredible writers of colour. We look at form, performance, storytelling and broadening participation and knowledge of Global Majority artists. They are led by Alumni, Facilitator, Creative Practitioner and Young Identity mentor Reece Williams.
Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Centre and Education Trust, Lower Ground Floor, Central Library, M2 5PD
Ages 13-25
OLD TRAFFORD WEDNESDAYS 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM Our Old Trafford workshop takes place at the heart of the Old Trafford at OT Creative Space. Led by local Facilitators, participants explore poetry and performance through fun writing activities, games and discussions. It's a supportive environment where everyone, regardless of experience, can develop their skills and share their work with confidence.
OT Creative Space, 27 Ayres Rd, Old Trafford, Manchester M16 9W
Ages 13-25
RESPECT & DIGNITYMONDAYS 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Our Respect and Dignity workshop is our project run in partnership with Respect and Dignity Arts. Led by Waqar Ahmed with students from across Burnley, Accrington and Nelson, they write about heritage and community with a focus on the experiences of a new generation and defining their place in present times
The Best Light Community Hub, Market Square, Nelson, BB9 7LP
Ages 13 -18
Access to Work can help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability.
The support you get will depend on your needs. Through Access to Work, you can apply for:
